Bundesliga: Robben keeps Bayern rolling; Dortmund keeps pressure

BERLIN (AP) – Arjen Robben scored twice for unbeaten Bayern Munich to beat bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, while Borussia Dortmund needed two late penalties to win 3-1 at Mainz.

Robben scored in the second minute after Mario Goetze picked him out with a ball over the top. The Dutchman’s initial effort struck the post but the rebound fell kindly for him to head home. He added his second in the 30th when he cut inside two defenders before letting fly.

”It was clear that it was going to be a huge challenge for us,” said Braunschweig coach Torsten Lieberknecht, whose squad reportedly cost 128 times less than Bayern’s.

Bayern utterly dominated the first half but the visitors were unlucky not to score in the second as the home side relaxed.

David Alaba saved goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s blushes by clearing Domi Kumbela’s goal-bound effort off the line, and Kevin Kratz hit the crossbar with a deflected free kick late in the game, which Bayern ended on the counterattack.

”It was a difficult game because we’ve come from Dortmund and Moscow,” said Bayern coach Pep Guardiola, referring to his side’s previous league and Champions League games.

”It’s another game more and we won. In the end I’m very satisfied with the performance,” the Spaniard added, after Bayern stretched its record unbeaten run to 39 games.

Dortmund found Mainz a tough nut to crack as Juergen Klopp returned to the club where he spent his entire playing career and coached for 7 1/2 years.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finally broke the deadlock in the 70th, with a free kick that went in off the left post.

But Mainz equalized through Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s penalty four minutes later after Lukasz Piszczek brought down Yanus Malli.

Robert Lewandowski restored Dortmund’s lead through another penalty five minutes after that, and Mainz midfielder Elkin Soto was sent off for handling Aubameyang’s effort on goal, before Lewandowski gave the scoreline a flattering look with another penalty in injury time.

”I’m totally happy with the result and with the way the game went,” Klopp said.

Werder Bremen scored in the last minute for a 4-4 draw at Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen beat relegation-threatened Nuremberg 3-0 and Hertha Berlin drew 0-0 with Augsburg.

Schalke defeated Stuttgart 3-0 in the late game to climb fifth and ease the pressure on coach Jens Keller.

”We played well here. It’s crazy that it could end 3-0,” said Stuttgart coach Thomas Schneider, whose side has just one win from its last seven games.

Jefferson Farfan scored in the 34th when Julian Draxler set him up on the right and claimed his second in the 47th from the penalty spot – the seventh awarded in the Bundesliga on Saturday – after Draxler made the most of Christian Gentner’s contact to go down.

United States midfielder Jermaine Jones, who ran over 12 kilometers (7 1/2 miles) during the game, secured the result with a powerful shot inside the left post in the 79th.

”I have to pick one player out – Jermaine Jones has taken criticism before, from me included, but he was outstanding today and I’m happy he got his goal,” Keller said.

Earlier, Sejad Salihovic scored two penalties within six minutes for Hoffenheim to lead 2-0 by the 18th minute.

Bremen captain Aaron Hunt pulled one back in the 45th, also from the penalty spot, one minute before Eljero Elia equalized when Hunt’s harmless-looking cross slipped through Koen Casteels’ fingers.

Salihovic crossed for Kevin Volland to score four minutes after the break, and Kai Herdling made it 4-2 with a fine strike four minutes later.

But Nils Petersen pulled one back in the 59th and Philipp Bargfrede scored his first Bundesliga goal very late to secure an unlikely draw for Bremen.

”I’m happy for all the neutral fans and the journalists – they enjoyed the game. For us coaches on the other hand, it would often make you tear your hair out,” Bremen coach Robin Dutt said.

His counterpart was equally unappreciative.

”If we played normal games for the whole season, you could say that such a game is awesome,” Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol said. ”But it’s like that every week with us. It’s starting to get annoying.”

Leverkusen, humiliated in Wednesday’s 5-0 home defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League, remains four points adrift of Bayern after the side’s 11th win from 14 games.

Sami Hyypia’s side endured a difficult start against Nuremberg before Son Heung-min scored with a neat finish in the 36th, Jens Hegeler set up Stefan Kiessling with his heel two minutes after the break, and Son scored his second in the 76th.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Doriano Romboni killed in Supermoto accident in Italy

Former grand prix motorcycle racer Doriano Romboni has been killed in a Supermoto accident in Italy.

The 125cc and 250cc race winner, who raced in the top 500cc class from 1996-98, was taking part in the ‘Sic Supermoto Day’ in memory of the late Marco Simoncelli at the Latina circuit in Italy.

Romboni was struck by another rider after crashing during one of the practice sessions for the event on Saturday.

The 44-year-old was taken to the Santa Maria Goretti hospital in the Latina area, but he succumbed to his injuries from the incident.

Romboni managed to finish fourth in the 125cc and 250cc world championships during his career, taking wins at both levels before graduating to the 500cc class with Aprilia for 1996.

However, his time at the top level was not as successful as the Italian manufacturer struggled, and he took a best finish of third in the 1997 Dutch TT at Assen.

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Parma draws 1

MILAN (AP) — Antonio Cassano scored his 100th Serie A goal as Parma was held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Bologna in the Italian league on Saturday.

Bologna took the lead in the Emilia-Romagna derby in the 10th minute when Panagiotis Kone latched onto Rolando Bianchi‘s ball over the defense and fired it past Antonio Mirante from 25 meters.

Cassano’s strike was even more spectacular as the forward volleyed an unstoppable effort into the top left corner.

Bologna played almost the entire second half with 10 men after Frederik Sorensen was sent off following a second booking in the 52nd minute.

Bologna almost snatched all three points when Kone curled a free kick just wide of the left upright nine minutes from time.

Genoa hosts Torino later.

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‘Inter have best attack in Serie A’

Rodrigo Palacio has insisted that Inter have the best attack in Serie A, as reports suggest that they could sign a new striker in January.

New owner Erick Thohir is believed to be splashing the cash come the winter window, but the striker has claimed that there is no need for a new forward.

“We have strong attackers,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I don’t think we have any problems in that area of the pitch.

“In fact, I’d say we have the best attack in the League.

“But this sort of decision should be left to the Coach and the club.”

The Argentine goalscorer then commented on the Nerazzurri’s upcoming match with Sampdoria.

“We’re not looking at the League table at the moment. We just want to play them and win, that’s all.

“We’re going to have to go game-by-game, and if we continue like this then we can get to the top.”

Think you know your Italian football? Share your knowledge, tips and comments to win cash prizes in OLBG’s tipster competition – £5,000 monthly.

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English Premier League Preview: Cardiff vs Arsenal Live Streaming Information

Cardiff City at home are a force to reckon with. They have taken four points from a possible six against the Manchester clubs in the English Premier League this season in the fortress that is the Cardiff City Stadium, and when league leaders Arsenal come to visit on Saturday, another one of those big scalps will be glowing through their minds.

For Arsenal, with Liverpool, Manchester United , Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea all playing only on Sunday, this is the perfect opportunity to put a little more daylight between themselves and the rest of the pack, and Arsene Wenger will want to witness pictures of Cardiff’s players, with their shoulders slumped, walking like zombies at the end of the final whistle.

The Gunners came out of a tough test at home against Southampton quite well last weekend, even if they were aided by a calamitous error, which will no doubt be played over and over again for many years to come, from goalkeeper Artur Boruc.

The match against Marseille also ended with the same 2-0 scoreline, which puts Arsenal with a rather large foot on the Champions League last 16 door.

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Arsenal lead the Premier League table by four points from Liverpool and Chelsea at the moment, and a nice yawning seven-point gap going into Sunday’s fixtures is something that will crack open that smile on Wenger’s face.

“They look to have good solidarity, good togetherness [and] fantastic support as well,” Wenger said of Cardiff, who beat Manchester City earlier this season before pulling off an impressive 2-2 draw against Manchester United last weekend. “They are all on the same wavelength in the team and are very efficient at home on set-pieces.

“Even on Sunday [against United] when they were 2-1 down against Man United, many teams could have thought ‘OK, it’s Man United, we will not come back.’

“But you always had the feeling that they don’t give up. You could feel that they would come back. They have that special attitude and belief in the side, and that makes them dangerous.”

Arsenal themselves have shown great spirit this season, with the players quite evidently enjoying themselves and each others’ success on the pitch. Jack Wilshere got his scoring boots on against Marseille in midweek, scoring a sumptuous first goal before completing his brace in the second half.

If Wilshere starts chipping in regularly with goals as well, all it does is make Arsenal even more dangerous, with Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla also all capable of scoring at the sniff of a chance. Add the returning Theo Walcott, and the magical powers of Tomas Rosicky, and Arsenal really do have a seriously potent attacking force – an attacking force which will need to be at their best to stop Cardiff, 15^th with 13 points from 12 matches, from getting anything out of the game.

Team news: Cardiff manager Malky Mackay has a full squad to choose from with summer signing Andreas Cornelius making his return from injury against Manchester United last weekend.

Kieran Gibbs has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the Champions League tie in midweek and Arsenal do not have any fresh injury concerns from the Marseille game, meaning long-term injury worries Lukas Podolski, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Yaya Sanogo and Abou Diaby are the only ones missing out.

Key men: Cardiff: Fraizer Campbell was a constant thorn in the Manchester United side, with his forward play causing all sorts of problems to the away team’s defence. Campbell also showed he has got goals in him with a timely strike on Sunday, and the former United man will ask a lot of questions to the Arsenal back-four. Also much will depend on Chile international Gary Medel and how much play he can break up in the middle of the park to stop the Gunners playmakers from dictating the game.

Arsenal: Everyone has been concerned by the lack of form shown by Ozil over the past few weeks, and the German will want to silence his doubters pretty quickly with a performance that will have all and sundry watching the match, including the Cardiff faithful, oohing and aahing with every touch. Ramsey will also raring to go against his former side.

Where to Watch Live

The game is scheduled for an 8.30 pm IST start with live coverage on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2. You can also catch the match via live streaming by clicking HERE. To catch the game courtesy live stream in the U.S., click HERE. Viewers in North Africa and the Middle East click HERE.

Expected lineups: Cardiff: Marshall; Theophile-Catherine, Caulker, Turner, Taylor; Medel, Whittingham; Cowie, Mutch, Odemwingie; Campbell.

Arsenal: Szczesny; Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Arteta, Ramsey; Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla; Giroud.

Prediction: 4-2 to Arsenal

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‘Inter have best attack in Serie A’

Rodrigo Palacio has insisted that Inter have the best attack in Serie A, as reports suggest that they could sign a new striker in January.

New owner Erick Thohir is believed to be splashing the cash come the winter window, but the striker has claimed that there is no need for a new forward.

“We have strong attackers,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I don’t think we have any problems in that area of the pitch.

“In fact, I’d say we have the best attack in the League.

“But this sort of decision should be left to the Coach and the club.”

The Argentine goalscorer then commented on the Nerazzurri’s upcoming match with Sampdoria.

“We’re not looking at the League table at the moment. We just want to play them and win, that’s all.

“We’re going to have to go game-by-game, and if we continue like this then we can get to the top.”

Think you know your Italian football? Share your knowledge, tips and comments to win cash prizes in OLBG’s tipster competition – £5,000 monthly.

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Vote for your 2013 MotoGP star of the year!

CLICK HERE to vote…

Marc Marquez made history as the youngest ever MotoGP champion by just four points over Jorge Lorenzo after a tense title showdown at Valencia.

It marked the end of a memorable year that saw Marquez spectacularly defy his rookie status, while experienced Honda team-mate Dani Pedrosa and Yamaha’s defending champion Lorenzo braved the pain of mid-season shoulder injuries to keep pressure on the 20-year-old.

Outside of the championship battle, Valentino Rossi returned to Yamaha and claimed his first MotoGP win since 2010, while Cal Crutchlow produced some factory-slaying performances – four podiums and two poles – on the way to top satellite honours for Monster Yamaha Tech 3.

Alvaro Bautista and Stefan Bradl tussled over top satellite Honda honours, while rookie Bradley Smith mixed it with the official Ducatis of Nicky Hayden and Andrea Dovizioso in the second half of the season. Some heated battles between the Desmosedici riders proved they had lost none of their fight despite struggling to match the pace of the Hondas and Yamahas.

The tail-end manufacturer riders were often under threat from top CRT rider Aleix Espargaro, who flattened the opposition in the privateer class on his way to eleventh in the overall standings.

But who was your star of the year?

We need you to award each rider with a mark out of ten to decide Crash.net’s MotoGP star of 2013. The outcome will be decided by the average score for each rider with a rundown of the full results – showing how highly you rated each MotoGP competitor – announced in December.

It’s your vote, which means the criterion is entirely up to you.

If you feel results are all that matter in racing, vote according to the championship standings or race wins. However most will feel factors such as machinery, performance relative to a team-mate, riding style, experience, injuries, progress and personality should also be taken into account.

Remember, it’s not just about who you want as the winner – often the most difficult decisions will be how highly to mark riders that finished lower down in the standings, on less competitive machinery.

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English Premier League Preview: Everton vs Stoke Live Streaming Information

Last weekend Everton were involved in one of the most memorable English Premier League games of the season so far, and one of the best Merseyside Derbies in the EPL era. When the Toffees host Stoke City on Saturday, however, Roberto Martinez will be hoping for a similar performance, but a more sobering, straightforward three points.

Liverpool snatched a point at Goodison Park last Saturday, with Daniel Sturridge scoring the equaliser in the final moments, after a Romelu Lukaku double had given Everton a 3-2 lead.

The home side’s performance, on the back of two 0-0 draws, could not be questioned in that game, and Martinez will now be keen to mould the bright performance with the right result when Stoke come to visit.

“I don’t think it will take much to lift the players because we were very pleased with the performance in the derby,” he told evertontv. “The second half was as good as you are going to get — we pushed a top team and had 10 shots on target. We opened up our opposition with a lot of good, attacking football.

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“When you are the better side and don’t get three points, especially from being so close to the scoreline you want, it can feel like a disappointment. But it’s a game that, if anything, has made us stronger and we are desperate to get out there and fight for another three points.

“But we will do that while showing the respect that Stoke deserve because they will make it very difficult for us on Saturday.”

Everton, who have lost only one game all season, but drawn six of their 12 games, sit seventh in the table at the moment with 21 points, eight ahead of Stoke, who are on a three-match unbeaten run in the league, capped off by a 2-0 victory over Sunderland last weekend.

“Everton took part in a great derby last weekend and got a lot of plaudits for the way they played, and quite rightly so,” manager Mark Hughes told Stoke City Player. “They are a good team; they have been a good team for a long time now.

“It’s going to be a difficult game for us but we’ve got momentum given that we won at the weekend and we’ll go there in good heart. We’re looking forward to the game. I think we’ve got players in our team that can cause them problems, so we’ll see how it goes.

“In terms of a challenge, going to Goodison Park is always difficult for any opposition team, no matter who they are, but given that we won last weekend and our away form has been fine we’ll look to get a positive result.”

Team news: Everton have been dealt a huge blow with key player Leighton Baines ruled out for a month with an injured toe.

The Toffees, though, welcome back Antolin Alcaraz, after the defender came through 45 minutes in a behind-closed-doors match earlier this week. The Paraguayan international has not featured for Everton since his move from Wigan on a free transfer in the summer due to a hamstring injury. Arouna Kone and Darron Gibson are long-term injury victims for the Toffees.

Stoke will have to do without the services of Marko Arnautovic, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury, but the bigger blow will be losing Robert Huth , who is expected to miss several weeks of action.

“It looks like Huthy is going to need an operation,” said Hughes. “So we are likely to be without him for a period of time unfortunately. We hoped that we would be able to manage him through it to be perfectly honest, but it looks like he will have to have an operation on it. We are going to lose him for a number of weeks.”

Stephen Ireland, however, is thought to be available after recovering from a shin problem.

Key men: Everton: Has to be Romelu Lukaku, who scored a brace in the Merseyside Derby. If the Belgian fires in front of goal again, then the Potters could be in for a long afternoon.

Stoke: Peter Crouch has not been in the best of goalscoring forms of late and the former Liverpool striker will be keen to dent Everton’s fortunes with a couple of goals of his own.

Where to Watch Live

The game is scheduled for an 8.30 pm IST kickoff with no live coverage in India . You can catch the action via live streaming online, however, by clicking HERE. To watch the match in the U.S. through live streaming, click HERE. Viewers in North Africa and the Middle East can do the same by clicking HERE.

Expected lineups: Everton: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Distin, Hibbert; McCarthy, Barry; Mirallas, Barkley, Pienaar; Lukaku.

Stoke: Begovic; Wilkinson, Cameron, Shawcross, Pieters; Etherington, Nzonzi, Ireland, Walters, Adam; Crouch.

Prediction: 2-0 to Everton

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‘Inter have best attack in Serie A’

Rodrigo Palacio has insisted that Inter have the best attack in Serie A, as reports suggest that they could sign a new striker in January.

New owner Erick Thohir is believed to be splashing the cash come the winter window, but the striker has claimed that there is no need for a new forward.

“We have strong attackers,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “I don’t think we have any problems in that area of the pitch.

“In fact, I’d say we have the best attack in the League.

“But this sort of decision should be left to the Coach and the club.”

The Argentine goalscorer then commented on the Nerazzurri’s upcoming match with Sampdoria.

“We’re not looking at the League table at the moment. We just want to play them and win, that’s all.

“We’re going to have to go game-by-game, and if we continue like this then we can get to the top.”

Think you know your Italian football? Share your knowledge, tips and comments to win cash prizes in OLBG’s tipster competition – £5,000 monthly.

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Vote for your 2013 World Rally Driver of the Year

The 2013 World Rally Championship season saw Sebastien Ogier crowned Champion, with the Volkswagen pilot taking nine wins in total from a possible 13. He was a very worthy successor then to Sebastien Loeb, who only did four events, following his decision to retire from rallying and concentrate on circuit racing.

Ogier wasn’t the only winner, however, and in addition to Loeb – who won in Monte Carlo and Argentina, Jari-Matti Latvala and Dani Sordo took a win apiece, triumphing respectively in Greece and Germany. Thierry Neuville also shone and took seven podiums – including four seconds – en-route to securing the vice-champions spot in the Drivers’ Championship, while former F1 racer, Robert Kubica turned heads and won the WRC2 crown.

But who impressed you most?

We’d like to know, so VOTE NOW and give us your verdict on the WRC class of 2013, by giving each one a score from one (poor) to ten (excellent) dependent upon how impressed you were with their performances this year.

We’ve selected the top 18 drivers’ in the WRC drivers’ championship and just for fun we have added in three ‘wildcards’ too (all shown in alphabetical order).

To submit your ratings, all you have to do is CLICK HERE .

You can also share your thoughts and opinions simply by clicking on the ‘Post your comments’ link below – so get writing now…

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Moyes pays tribute to Giggs

Ryan Giggs celebrated his 40th birthday on Friday and is in Manchester United’s provisional squad to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (December 1st).

Teddy Sheringham and Gordon Strachan are the only other outfield players to have appeared in the EPL after reaching the milestone.

Since breaking into the United first team in 1990, Giggs has helped the ‘Red Devils’ win the league 13 times and also played a part in two Champions League titles and four FA Cup successes.

United manager David Moyes told the media on Friday that Giggs topped the list of the English Premier League’s top players “because of his longevity, the time he’s played for one club. The amount of games what he’s played, done in Europe, what he’s done in the Premier League.”

Currently sixth in the standings, United will be hoping to continue their climb up the table when they take on Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

‘Spurs’ manager Andre Villas-Boas is under immense pressure, following his side’s 6-0 thrashing at United’s local rivals Manchester City last Sunday (November 24th).

However, there will be no sympathy for the Portuguese from Moyes, who said on Friday: “We’ll go down there and try and win the game, which we always would do.”

SNTV

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La Liga Results: Analysis for Real Madrid vs. Valladolid, and All the Matches

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Chelsea v Southampton

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea will be looking to close the gap on English Premier League leaders Arsenal when they host Southampton on Saturday.

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The Blues are third on the table, four points behind Arsene Wenger’s table-topping north Londoners, but should the Gunners slip up in their tricky fixture at Cardiff on the weekend then the gap between the two capital city clubs could be reduced to as little as one point.

Mourinho’s charges have been inconsistent this season having won well and lost terribly in both their Premier League and Champions League campaigns, with this last week proving to be emblematic of this trend with the west Londoners dispatching West Ham United 3-0 on Saturday only to lose 1-0 to European minnows FC Basle on Tuesday.

The enigmatic Portuguese tactician needs to get his team to perform according to his script consistently if they are going to challenge for the league title, but this week he will have to get his game plan to work without the services of David Luiz and Samuel Eto’o, as the duo are suffering from a bruised knee and a strained muscle respectively.

Spanish striker Fernando Torres may be close to a return as reports this week had the Spain international back at training, but there is no official word yet on when the 29-year-old will return to action.

Maurico Pochettino’s Saints have been punching above their weight bracket this season and they currently sit fifth on the table with 22 points just two points behind Chelsea, and while a trip to Stamford Bridge is intimidating, the Hampshire outfit will take confidence from the fact that they have only lost two fixtures this season thanks to a rock solid defence that could well frustrate the host’s stuttering strike force.

Dejan Lovren should have recovered from a bout of the flu in time for the weekend contest, but Luke Shaw is a doubt, while Jack Cork, Guly do Prado and Kelvin Davies will be unable to aid the visitors in their quest to steal a march on an unsettled London giant.

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La Liga Preview: Getafe vs Levante Live Streaming Information

With just three points separating the two sides, neither Getafe nor Levante will want to give away anything when they clash in a La Liga game on Friday night.

Getafe have done pretty well in the La Liga this season, and sit seventh at the moment having picked up 20 points from 14 matches, the same as Champions League side Real Sociedad, who are a place above them.

However, Getafe will still be feeling the effects of a 7-0 drubbing handed to them by Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon last weekend, and manager Luis Garcia will be hoping to put that abysmal result behind them as soon as possible, starting with a home win over Levante.

Getafe’s opponents are 13^th at the moment, but only three points behind, and Garcia is determined to make it six at the end of 90 minutes.

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“They are only three points behind us and to win we will have to play a great game,” he was quoted as saying by Marca. “The league is a bit split. From sixth place down to Levante in 13^th it’s just three points. It is important for us to make that six.

“Levante follow the lead of their coach [Joaquin] Caparros. They are very tough and force you to work very hard. We will have to be very mentally strong.”

Levante will be equally desperate for three points away, having lost to Villarreal last weekend, which saw them extend their losing streak to a worrying three.

“It’s obvious that when you’re losing games, you lose self-esteem,” said Levante forward David Barral, who will be hoping for a start with Baba Diawara doubtful due to a groin problem. “The team can recover that with a win. We have to get ourselves a win as quickly as we can, to boost our confidence.

“We have to remain calm when we face the game against Getafe. We have to be relaxed. We’re not even halfway through the season yet and we have to keep working hard.”

Key men: Getafe: Pedro Leon has been the standout player for Getafe this season, with four goals and three assists in the La Liga. Garcia will be hoping for more of the same from the former Real Madrid winger on Friday night.

Levante: Nabi El Zhar is the team’s top scorer with four goals, and a couple more against Getafe will go down pretty well as his team looks to break a three-match losing streak.

Where to Watch Live

The game is scheduled for a 12.30 am IST start on Saturday early morning with live coverage on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD2. You can also live stream the match online by clicking the official link HERE. To catch the action via live streaming in the U.S., click HERE. Viewers in North Africa and the Middle East can click HERE.

Expected lineups: Getafe: Moya, Valera, Lago, Lopo, Alexis, Leon, Gimenez, Michel, Borja, Lafita, Colunga.

Levante: Navas, Navarro, Vyntra, Juanfran, Lell, El Zhar, Feliu, Ivanschitz, Diop, Simao Mate, Barral.

Prediction: 2-2

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–>

To contact the editor, e-mail:

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFTc3cGJuycXYD4bNMnTY-oEQdRgA&url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/526168/20131129/la-liga-live-streaming-getafe-levante-preview.htm

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LCR Honda wants two

Honda satellite squad LCR is planning to expand to a two-bike MotoGP attack from 2015

You have viewed over 20 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.

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‘English Premier League not part of match

Games played in the fifth tier or lower of English football are the focus of an investigation into match-fixing by a suspected international betting syndicate that has led to six people being arrested.

The Premier League said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, which reported that at least three of the men held this week are footballers. Another is reportedly a former Premier League player who is now an agent.

The Football League, which runs the three professional divisions below the Premier League, has already said it has not been involved in the investigation.

EPL said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The fifth-tier Football Conference said it is “aware” of the alleged match-fixing case. “The Football Conference takes all matters relating to the integrity of the game very seriously,” it said in a statement, “but it cannot make any comment on today’s story as it would be inappropriate to do so.”

The Telegraph reported in Thursday’s edition of its paper that the suspected match fixers are being held in a police station in the central England. The paper said one of the alleged fixers was arrested on Tuesday and is “internationally known.”

The Telegraph’s website published a covertly recorded video in which it says the fixer claimed matches could be fixed for 50,000 pounds ($81,380). He also claimed to have connections with Wilson Raj Perumal, the Singaporean who was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland in 2011 for bribing players in the Finnish football league.

Match-fixing, fuelled by unregulated betting markets in Asia, is widely viewed by football’s authorities as one of the biggest scourges on the game.

Europol, the European Union police liaison agency, said in February that it reviewed 680 suspicious recent cases of match-fixing but the organization’s chief of media and PR, Soren Pedersen, said on Thursday he was unable to comment on whether this latest case was linked to that investigation.

“Unfortunately, this is not a problem that has disappeared,” Pedersen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There’s definitely enough for police still to do to look into this crime phenomenon.”

The last major match-rigging convictions in English football were in the 1960s. Peter Swan, David ‘Bronco’ Layne and Tony Kay, who were all in or on the fringe of the England team, were jailed for four months and banned for life for corruption.

In 1994, three then-Premier League players – goalkeepers Bruce Grobbelaar and Hans Segers and striker John Fashanu – were alleged by a newspaper to have fixed matches. The trio was acquitted following two trials after juries were unable to reach a verdict.

And in 1999, four men linked to a Malaysian-based betting syndicate were jailed for three years for plotting to sabotage floodlights ahead of Charlton’s match against Liverpool that year as part of a match-fixing plot.

“It’s no surprise to see that it has hit the U.K.,” Pedersen said of the latest global wave of match-fixing cases.

“It’s not only south-east Asia that has problems, but Greece, Albania, Turkey and Italy of course. It’s in central and northern Europe. Even a country like Finland, which is not normally linked to bribery or corruption, have had several cases. Also in Hungary, there are things going on. It’s practically all over Europe.”

One of the biggest recent alleged fixing plots was unearthed in Australia where four English players were charged in September in a criminal investigation. Before heading to Australia to play for the Melbourne club Southern Stars, the men played in England’s lower leagues.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEa1nPP_sjdSf-9FRMzYhWU25pKZw&url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/english-premier-league-not-part-of-matchfixing-probe/436660-5-21.html

Read more ...

La Liga: Messi recovery progressing well

MADRID – Lionel Messi has completed the first stage of his recovery from a thigh strain and will travel to his native Argentina on Friday as planned to continue treatment, his club Barcelona said on Thursday.

Messi sustained the injury in a La Liga match at Real Betis on November 10 and the World Player of the Year is likely to be sidelined until the middle of January.

Club doctor Ricard Pruna and physio Elvio Paulorroso will join him in Argentina next month to supervise the final phase of his recovery program, Barca said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com).

“His development is positive as the latest tests conducted show,” they said.

Messi will miss Barca’s final Champions League Group H match at home to an already eliminated Celtic on December 11, when the Spanish champions will be looking to secure top spot ahead of Italian side AC Milan.

He could be back in time for the Januaruy 12 La Liga game at second-placed Atletico Madrid, who are three points behind leaders Barca after 14 matches. - Reuters

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGOgGVt_eP3jytGRmlBwMPuyd10og&url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/337532/sports/football/la-liga-messi-recovery-progressing-well-barcelona

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Moto2: Anthony West erased from results

Anthony West’s positive test for a prohibited stimulant, Methylhexaneamine, following last May’s Le Mans Moto2 grand prix has come back to haunt the Australian.

According to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), West “explained that the prohibited substance had entered his system through an energy drink (“Mesomorph”) that he had purchased, prepared, and consumed on the assumption that it did not contain any prohibited substances since it was purchased in a nutritional shop.”

The infringement was originally announced last November, with West disqualified from his seventh place finish at the French Grand Prix and handed a one-month ban, which caused him to miss the 2012 Valencia season finale.

However the World Anti-Doping Agency then appealed to the CAS for a harsher punishment, the outcome of which has now been announced and means that all of West’s results from the 2012 French GP until 19 October 2013 will be wiped from the record books.

Most notably the decision means that West has lost the two runner-up positions he claimed at the 2012 Malaysian and Australian rounds.

Gino Rea will thus be promoted from third to second at Sepang, with wild-card Hafizh Syahrin credited with third and a first GP podium. The revised Australian results will see Marc Marquez rise from third to second and Scott Redding fourth to third etc.

Remaining with the QMMF (Speed Up) team, West moved from 16th to 15th overall in this year’s championship, but could only claim a best race finish of seventh. West, a 250cc race winner and former factory Kawasaki MotoGP rider, is due to continue with QMMF next season.

The full press release from the FIM explaining the revised punishment can be seen below:

“The FIM has taken note of the Award handed down on 22 November 2013 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case of rider Anthony West, participant in the 2012 FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix in the Moto2 Class.

“On 20 May 2012, Anthony West underwent an anti-doping test conducted by the FIM at the 2012 French Grand Prix. The urine sample obtained from Mr West revealed the presence of a stimulant (Methylhexaneamine) prohibited in competition under the FIM Anti-doping Code in force.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNF6v60FdsWPbpx9JnoUeGKi0weKbA&url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/198653/1/moto2_anthony_west_erased_from_results.html

Read more ...

‘English Premier League not part of match

Games played in the fifth tier or lower of English football are the focus of an investigation into match-fixing by a suspected international betting syndicate that has led to six people being arrested.

The Premier League said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, which reported that at least three of the men held this week are footballers. Another is reportedly a former Premier League player who is now an agent.

The Football League, which runs the three professional divisions below the Premier League, has already said it has not been involved in the investigation.

EPL said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The fifth-tier Football Conference said it is “aware” of the alleged match-fixing case. “The Football Conference takes all matters relating to the integrity of the game very seriously,” it said in a statement, “but it cannot make any comment on today’s story as it would be inappropriate to do so.”

The Telegraph reported in Thursday’s edition of its paper that the suspected match fixers are being held in a police station in the central England. The paper said one of the alleged fixers was arrested on Tuesday and is “internationally known.”

The Telegraph’s website published a covertly recorded video in which it says the fixer claimed matches could be fixed for 50,000 pounds ($81,380). He also claimed to have connections with Wilson Raj Perumal, the Singaporean who was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland in 2011 for bribing players in the Finnish football league.

Match-fixing, fuelled by unregulated betting markets in Asia, is widely viewed by football’s authorities as one of the biggest scourges on the game.

Europol, the European Union police liaison agency, said in February that it reviewed 680 suspicious recent cases of match-fixing but the organization’s chief of media and PR, Soren Pedersen, said on Thursday he was unable to comment on whether this latest case was linked to that investigation.

“Unfortunately, this is not a problem that has disappeared,” Pedersen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There’s definitely enough for police still to do to look into this crime phenomenon.”

The last major match-rigging convictions in English football were in the 1960s. Peter Swan, David ‘Bronco’ Layne and Tony Kay, who were all in or on the fringe of the England team, were jailed for four months and banned for life for corruption.

In 1994, three then-Premier League players – goalkeepers Bruce Grobbelaar and Hans Segers and striker John Fashanu – were alleged by a newspaper to have fixed matches. The trio was acquitted following two trials after juries were unable to reach a verdict.

And in 1999, four men linked to a Malaysian-based betting syndicate were jailed for three years for plotting to sabotage floodlights ahead of Charlton’s match against Liverpool that year as part of a match-fixing plot.

“It’s no surprise to see that it has hit the U.K.,” Pedersen said of the latest global wave of match-fixing cases.

“It’s not only south-east Asia that has problems, but Greece, Albania, Turkey and Italy of course. It’s in central and northern Europe. Even a country like Finland, which is not normally linked to bribery or corruption, have had several cases. Also in Hungary, there are things going on. It’s practically all over Europe.”

One of the biggest recent alleged fixing plots was unearthed in Australia where four English players were charged in September in a criminal investigation. Before heading to Australia to play for the Melbourne club Southern Stars, the men played in England’s lower leagues.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEa1nPP_sjdSf-9FRMzYhWU25pKZw&url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/english-premier-league-not-part-of-matchfixing-probe/436660-5-21.html

Read more ...

Hyundai i20 WRC Rally Car Speeds Into ‘Real Racing 3′

Hyundai Motor Company’s i20 World Rally Championship (WRC) car will be featured in EA’s (Electronic Arts) popular ‘Real Racing 3’, a mobile-based racing game. This vehicle is now available in the roster for all users who download the free-to-play mobile game through Android or iOS.

To celebrate this and Hyundai Motor’s kick-off to WRC as of 2014, the automaker will launch a competition that will run from November 21 to December 11, 2013 through the mobile game.

The gamer who achieves the fastest ‘time attack’ record with the Hyundai i20 WRC car around the newly-designed Dubai Autodrome track will be the competition winner. The prize will be a four-day VIP trip for two people to attend the first stage of the 2014 WRC in Monte Carlo in January next year. The winner will also have the opportunity to visit Hyundai Motorsport’s service park and meet its rally team.

Hyundai Motor will be bringing the game to life by inviting the public to compete ‘live’ on the Hyundai billboard in London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus.

Members of the public who want to show off their racing skills and see their faces up in lights can visit Piccadilly Circus on selected dates over the period of the competition to take control of the i20 WRC car and experience Real Racing 3 on the big screen.

This promotion will be available at Piccadilly Circus on the following days:

November 21-23

November 28-30

December 5-7

Electronic Arts, a leading global publisher of video, digital and social games, released Real Racing 3 in February 2013, and Hyundai’s i20 WRC car is featured in the latest update available to download now.

Known for its realistic high-quality graphics and asynchronous multi-playing function, EA’s Real Racing 3 has been downloaded more than 60 million times since its launch.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE99cP4cy7f2CepARlxNwICsXcDCA&url=http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/11/28/hyundai-i20-wrc-rally-car-speeds-into-real-racing-3-/

Read more ...

‘English Premier League not part of match

Games played in the fifth tier or lower of English football are the focus of an investigation into match-fixing by a suspected international betting syndicate that has led to six people being arrested.

The Premier League said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, which reported that at least three of the men held this week are footballers. Another is reportedly a former Premier League player who is now an agent.

The Football League, which runs the three professional divisions below the Premier League, has already said it has not been involved in the investigation.

EPL said on Thursday that it has not been contacted by police in relation to an undercover investigation by Britain’s Daily Telegraph newspaper.

The fifth-tier Football Conference said it is “aware” of the alleged match-fixing case. “The Football Conference takes all matters relating to the integrity of the game very seriously,” it said in a statement, “but it cannot make any comment on today’s story as it would be inappropriate to do so.”

The Telegraph reported in Thursday’s edition of its paper that the suspected match fixers are being held in a police station in the central England. The paper said one of the alleged fixers was arrested on Tuesday and is “internationally known.”

The Telegraph’s website published a covertly recorded video in which it says the fixer claimed matches could be fixed for 50,000 pounds ($81,380). He also claimed to have connections with Wilson Raj Perumal, the Singaporean who was sentenced to two years in prison in Finland in 2011 for bribing players in the Finnish football league.

Match-fixing, fuelled by unregulated betting markets in Asia, is widely viewed by football’s authorities as one of the biggest scourges on the game.

Europol, the European Union police liaison agency, said in February that it reviewed 680 suspicious recent cases of match-fixing but the organization’s chief of media and PR, Soren Pedersen, said on Thursday he was unable to comment on whether this latest case was linked to that investigation.

“Unfortunately, this is not a problem that has disappeared,” Pedersen told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “There’s definitely enough for police still to do to look into this crime phenomenon.”

The last major match-rigging convictions in English football were in the 1960s. Peter Swan, David ‘Bronco’ Layne and Tony Kay, who were all in or on the fringe of the England team, were jailed for four months and banned for life for corruption.

In 1994, three then-Premier League players – goalkeepers Bruce Grobbelaar and Hans Segers and striker John Fashanu – were alleged by a newspaper to have fixed matches. The trio was acquitted following two trials after juries were unable to reach a verdict.

And in 1999, four men linked to a Malaysian-based betting syndicate were jailed for three years for plotting to sabotage floodlights ahead of Charlton’s match against Liverpool that year as part of a match-fixing plot.

“It’s no surprise to see that it has hit the U.K.,” Pedersen said of the latest global wave of match-fixing cases.

“It’s not only south-east Asia that has problems, but Greece, Albania, Turkey and Italy of course. It’s in central and northern Europe. Even a country like Finland, which is not normally linked to bribery or corruption, have had several cases. Also in Hungary, there are things going on. It’s practically all over Europe.”

One of the biggest recent alleged fixing plots was unearthed in Australia where four English players were charged in September in a criminal investigation. Before heading to Australia to play for the Melbourne club Southern Stars, the men played in England’s lower leagues.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNEa1nPP_sjdSf-9FRMzYhWU25pKZw&url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/english-premier-league-not-part-of-matchfixing-probe/436660-5-21.html

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Juho Hanninen to contest partial WRC campaign with Hyundai

Juho Hanninen will contest a partial World Rally Championship campaign with Hyundai’s new i20 programme in 2014.

You have viewed over 20 free stories this month. Why stop there? Click here to find out how to continue reading.

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Manchester United Finds a Bundesliga Weak Spot

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFxLKZCPxu8Wu8h9Y_FfSYVtuIevA&url=http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/sports/soccer/manchester-united-finds-a-bundesliga-weak-spot.html

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Hyundai i20 WRC Rally Car Speeds Into ‘Real Racing 3′

Hyundai Motor Company’s i20 World Rally Championship (WRC) car will be featured in EA’s (Electronic Arts) popular ‘Real Racing 3’, a mobile-based racing game. This vehicle is now available in the roster for all users who download the free-to-play mobile game through Android or iOS.

To celebrate this and Hyundai Motor’s kick-off to WRC as of 2014, the automaker will launch a competition that will run from November 21 to December 11, 2013 through the mobile game.

The gamer who achieves the fastest ‘time attack’ record with the Hyundai i20 WRC car around the newly-designed Dubai Autodrome track will be the competition winner. The prize will be a four-day VIP trip for two people to attend the first stage of the 2014 WRC in Monte Carlo in January next year. The winner will also have the opportunity to visit Hyundai Motorsport’s service park and meet its rally team.

Hyundai Motor will be bringing the game to life by inviting the public to compete ‘live’ on the Hyundai billboard in London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus.

Members of the public who want to show off their racing skills and see their faces up in lights can visit Piccadilly Circus on selected dates over the period of the competition to take control of the i20 WRC car and experience Real Racing 3 on the big screen.

This promotion will be available at Piccadilly Circus on the following days:

November 21-23

November 28-30

December 5-7

Electronic Arts, a leading global publisher of video, digital and social games, released Real Racing 3 in February 2013, and Hyundai’s i20 WRC car is featured in the latest update available to download now.

Known for its realistic high-quality graphics and asynchronous multi-playing function, EA’s Real Racing 3 has been downloaded more than 60 million times since its launch.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE99cP4cy7f2CepARlxNwICsXcDCA&url=http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/11/28/hyundai-i20-wrc-rally-car-speeds-into-real-racing-3-/

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5 things to know about the Italian league before this weekend’s matches

MILAN — Here are five things to know about Serie A ahead of this weekend’s matches:

__

YOUTH FOR JUVE

Juventus will be cheered on by thousands of children when it welcomes Udinese on Sunday looking to reinforce its lead at the top of the table.

The sectors behind each goal at the Juventus Stadium, normally populated by ultras, will instead by filled by 6,400 children. Kick-off has been brought forward to 1830 local time (1730 GMT).

The punishment was inflicted for insulting territorial chants in a 3-0 win over Napoli.

Both curves will be closed against Udinese, while the southern end of the stadium will also be closed against Sassuolo on Dec. 14.

Juventus took over first place last week with a fifth consecutive victory and will be full of confidence after beating FC Copenhagen 3-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

---

TANK PRANK

Security will be reinforced in the city of Bergamo and at the stadium ahead of Roma’s match at Atalanta.

There has always been a strong rivalry between the two clubs but tensions were exacerbated by the recent tank prank. Atalanta midfielder Guilio Migliaccio was onboard a tank, driven by Atalanta fans at the supporters’ annual preseason festival in Bergamo, that drove over two cars decorated in the colors of rival teams Brescia and Roma.

Roma has stalled of late following a fantastic start to the season. After becoming the first Serie A club to win its opening 10 matches, it then was held to three straight draws.

“Our strength is that we have controlled and won matches one after the other,” Roma coach Rudi Garcia said. “That gave us a desire to continue playing well. We could have also won our last three matches, I think.

“We’re second and only a point behind Juve, who like us has had a more than exceptional start to the season. Our aim remains getting into Europe.”

---

MILAN TURNAROUND

AC Milan is hoping its Champions League victory over Celtic will serve as a turnaround in a so far miserable season.

Milan is without a win in its past five league games and has slipped to 13th in the Serie A table, 14 points off the Champions League spots and only four away from the bottom three.

Kaka inspired a 3-0 victory in Glasgow on Tuesday, scoring the first goal to help Milan to its first away win in any competition this season. The former Real Madrid midfielder was given a standing ovation by the entire stadium.

“This victory has given us confidence,” Kaka said. “Now we have a difficult match against Catania and it is important to get back to winning ways in the league to get out of this uncomfortable situation.

“We had to win against Celtic, it was fundamental to break the series of awful results. The result was a bit of a surprise, I wasn’t expecting it but in the end 3-0 was the right result. We deserved it.”

Mario Balotelli, who missed a penalty in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with 10-man Genoa and had gone six matches in all competitions without a goal, also scored.

The match could also see the return of Italy forward Stephan El Shaarawy, who hasn’t played for Milan since the beginning of September after injuring his foot in training.

---

NAGATOMO HONORED

Inter Milan defender Yuto Nagatomo was named Asian Player of the Year this week.

“I’m happy and honored to have received this award, but it’s not just for me,” the Japan international said. “I have to thank all of my teammates who allow me to play to my best level, as well as the fans who support me.

“I still have to improve a lot and I’ll work very hard to do so as I have to progress.”

Inter, which is fourth in the table, hosts relegation-threatened Sampdoria on Sunday.

---

NEGATIVE NAPOLI

Napoli was level with Juventus at the start of the month but has now slipped to third, six points behind the Bianconeri.

The team also lost 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday to extend its losing streak to three matches in all competitions.

On Monday, Napoli travels to Lazio, where it has not won since 2008.

Lazio is also on a negative streak and has won only one of its past eight league matches.

*http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGU3F8aSUon7NQU_2irKWF2oupZxA&url=http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/4e9b4ccfebe240d696e58b29dbc7c56b/SOC–Italian-Preview

Read more ...

Hyundai i20 WRC Rally Car Speeds Into ‘Real Racing 3′

Hyundai Motor Company’s i20 World Rally Championship (WRC) car will be featured in EA’s (Electronic Arts) popular ‘Real Racing 3’, a mobile-based racing game. This vehicle is now available in the roster for all users who download the free-to-play mobile game through Android or iOS.

To celebrate this and Hyundai Motor’s kick-off to WRC as of 2014, the automaker will launch a competition that will run from November 21 to December 11, 2013 through the mobile game.

The gamer who achieves the fastest ‘time attack’ record with the Hyundai i20 WRC car around the newly-designed Dubai Autodrome track will be the competition winner. The prize will be a four-day VIP trip for two people to attend the first stage of the 2014 WRC in Monte Carlo in January next year. The winner will also have the opportunity to visit Hyundai Motorsport’s service park and meet its rally team.

Hyundai Motor will be bringing the game to life by inviting the public to compete ‘live’ on the Hyundai billboard in London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus.

Members of the public who want to show off their racing skills and see their faces up in lights can visit Piccadilly Circus on selected dates over the period of the competition to take control of the i20 WRC car and experience Real Racing 3 on the big screen.

This promotion will be available at Piccadilly Circus on the following days:

November 21-23

November 28-30

December 5-7

Electronic Arts, a leading global publisher of video, digital and social games, released Real Racing 3 in February 2013, and Hyundai’s i20 WRC car is featured in the latest update available to download now.

Known for its realistic high-quality graphics and asynchronous multi-playing function, EA’s Real Racing 3 has been downloaded more than 60 million times since its launch.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNE99cP4cy7f2CepARlxNwICsXcDCA&url=http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/11/28/hyundai-i20-wrc-rally-car-speeds-into-real-racing-3-/

Read more ...

Six races to decide Rossi’s MotoGP future

Valentino Rossi’s performances during the opening six races of next season will be ‘crucial’ in deciding whether the Italian continues his MotoGP career beyond 2014.

The legendary seven time MotoGP champion claimed a record 80th victory during his return to Yamaha this year, but was left firmly in the wake of Marc Marquez (Honda), Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Honda) in the championship standings.

In an extract released by Sportmediaset.it from “The New Age – A year of MotoGP”, to be broadcast by the Italy 1 TV channel tonight (Wednesday), Rossi states:

“If I’m here and I want to keep racing, I will have to stay ahead in 2014, closer to the first three. From February to June, the tests and the first six races will be crucial for deciding whether to continue or stop racing in MotoGP at the end of the season. I’d like to continue for another couple of years, but only if they are competitive.”

As part of his efforts to bridge the gap to the class leaders, 34-year-old Rossi has split from crew chief Jerry Burgess, a decision he also addresses in the programme.

Rossi’s most recent world title was in 2009, the #46 breaking a leg early in 2010 then making an ill-fated switch to Ducati for 2011.

The sixth race of the 2014 season will be Rossi’s home Italian round, at Mugello.

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHzzk_JH5G2nDnHaLnRpbsxfG0kWg&url=http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/198613/1/six_races_to_decide_rossis_motogp_future.html

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Six races to decide Rossi’s MotoGP future

Valentino Rossi’s performances during the opening six races of next season will be ‘crucial’ in deciding whether the Italian continues his MotoGP career beyond 2014.

The legendary seven time MotoGP champion claimed a record 80th victory during his return to Yamaha this year, but was left firmly in the wake of Marc Marquez (Honda), Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Honda) in the championship standings.

In an extract released by Sportmediaset.it from “The New Age – A year of MotoGP”, to be broadcast by the Italy 1 TV channel tonight (Wednesday), Rossi states:

“If I’m here and I want to keep racing, I will have to stay ahead in 2014, closer to the first three. From February to June, the tests and the first six races will be crucial for deciding whether to continue or stop racing in MotoGP at the end of the season. I’d like to continue for another couple of years, but only if they are competitive.”

As part of his efforts to bridge the gap to the class leaders, 34-year-old Rossi has split from crew chief Jerry Burgess, a decision he also addresses in the programme.

Rossi’s most recent world title was in 2009, the #46 breaking a leg early in 2010 then making an ill-fated switch to Ducati for 2011.

The sixth race of the 2014 season will be Rossi’s home Italian round, at Mugello.

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Hyundai i20 WRC Rally Car Speeds Into ‘Real Racing 3′

Hyundai Motor Company’s i20 World Rally Championship (WRC) car will be featured in EA’s (Electronic Arts) popular ‘Real Racing 3’, a mobile-based racing game. This vehicle is now available in the roster for all users who download the free-to-play mobile game through Android or iOS.

To celebrate this and Hyundai Motor’s kick-off to WRC as of 2014, the automaker will launch a competition that will run from November 21 to December 11, 2013 through the mobile game.

The gamer who achieves the fastest ‘time attack’ record with the Hyundai i20 WRC car around the newly-designed Dubai Autodrome track will be the competition winner. The prize will be a four-day VIP trip for two people to attend the first stage of the 2014 WRC in Monte Carlo in January next year. The winner will also have the opportunity to visit Hyundai Motorsport’s service park and meet its rally team.

Hyundai Motor will be bringing the game to life by inviting the public to compete ‘live’ on the Hyundai billboard in London’s iconic Piccadilly Circus.

Members of the public who want to show off their racing skills and see their faces up in lights can visit Piccadilly Circus on selected dates over the period of the competition to take control of the i20 WRC car and experience Real Racing 3 on the big screen.

This promotion will be available at Piccadilly Circus on the following days:

November 21-23

November 28-30

December 5-7

Electronic Arts, a leading global publisher of video, digital and social games, released Real Racing 3 in February 2013, and Hyundai’s i20 WRC car is featured in the latest update available to download now.

Known for its realistic high-quality graphics and asynchronous multi-playing function, EA’s Real Racing 3 has been downloaded more than 60 million times since its launch.

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Six races to decide Rossi’s MotoGP future

Valentino Rossi’s performances during the opening six races of next season will be ‘crucial’ in deciding whether the Italian continues his MotoGP career beyond 2014.

The legendary seven time MotoGP champion claimed a record 80th victory during his return to Yamaha this year, but was left firmly in the wake of Marc Marquez (Honda), Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Honda) in the championship standings.

In an extract released by Sportmediaset.it from “The New Age – A year of MotoGP”, to be broadcast by the Italy 1 TV channel tonight (Wednesday), Rossi states:

“If I’m here and I want to keep racing, I will have to stay ahead in 2014, closer to the first three. From February to June, the tests and the first six races will be crucial for deciding whether to continue or stop racing in MotoGP at the end of the season. I’d like to continue for another couple of years, but only if they are competitive.”

As part of his efforts to bridge the gap to the class leaders, 34-year-old Rossi has split from crew chief Jerry Burgess, a decision he also addresses in the programme.

Rossi’s most recent world title was in 2009, the #46 breaking a leg early in 2010 then making an ill-fated switch to Ducati for 2011.

The sixth race of the 2014 season will be Rossi’s home Italian round, at Mugello.

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Hanninen to get Hyundai outings in 2014

Hyundai Motorsport has announced that current test driver Juho Hanninen will pilot the team’s second i20 WRC car on selected WRC events in 2014.

The 32-year old, who will be team-mate to recently-announced lead driver Thierry Neuville, has become well-acquainted with Hyundai Motorsport throughout 2013, having completed an impressive 3500km of development work at the helm of the i20 WRC. The Finn has played an integral role in the team’s preparations for its debut WRC season and will be another strong asset to Hyundai Motorsport in its debut season.

“I am very pleased to continue our working relationship with Juho,” team principal Michel Nandan commented, “He was the first driver to sign for Hyundai Motorsport earlier this year and he was the one who completed the first ever runs in the Hyundai i20 WRC. He has shown great loyalty to our new team and it is fitting that he joins us at a number of specific events during our maiden WRC season.

“Juho has done an outstanding job in testing this year. He has proven to be a very complete driver with a perfect mix of speed and technical abilities, as well as being a real team player giving valuable feedback to our team of engineers. He brings with him a vast experience of WRC and he has completed the most kilometres in the Hyundai i20 WRC this year, so we feel he will be an ideal complement to Thierry.”

Hanninen will be joined in 2014 by regular co-driver Tomi Tuominen and will make his WRC debut for Hyundai at February’s Rally Sweden, an event he knows very well. He made his WRC debut on the same rally in 2006, winning the Group N class, and finished sixth in this year’s event.

The Finn has also tasted success in a variety of different cars in his career, and has been victorious in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the FIA European Rally Championship and the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship since his WRC debut. He has set a high standard in the S2000 category in recent years and took his first WRC stage win at Monte Carlo this year, underlining his potential at the pinnacle of international rallying.

“I am really honoured to have been chosen by Hyundai to be one of the drivers of the second i20 WRC car in 2014, including Rally Sweden, which is one of my favourites,” Hanninen said, “I have been working with the team a lot since May and it has been a really fantastic project to be involved in. All the people in the team are very nice and it has been friendly environment, but with everyone still giving 100 per cent all the time. It’s been a pleasure to work with them in testing and I really respect the opportunity to drive some rallies for the team in 2014.”

Alongside his occasional appearances in the second Hyundai i20 WRC car next year, Hanninen will also continue to play a vital testing role as the team prepares for 2015.

Hyundai has already revealed that a number of drivers will share the second i20 WRC throughout 2014. An announcement regarding Neuville’s team-mate on the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo will be made in due course.

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Six races to decide Rossi’s MotoGP future

Valentino Rossi’s performances during the opening six races of next season will be ‘crucial’ in deciding whether the Italian continues his MotoGP career beyond 2014.

The legendary seven time MotoGP champion claimed a record 80th victory during his return to Yamaha this year, but was left firmly in the wake of Marc Marquez (Honda), Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) and Dani Pedrosa (Honda) in the championship standings.

In an extract released by Sportmediaset.it from “The New Age – A year of MotoGP”, to be broadcast by the Italy 1 TV channel tonight (Wednesday), Rossi states:

“If I’m here and I want to keep racing, I will have to stay ahead in 2014, closer to the first three. From February to June, the tests and the first six races will be crucial for deciding whether to continue or stop racing in MotoGP at the end of the season. I’d like to continue for another couple of years, but only if they are competitive.”

As part of his efforts to bridge the gap to the class leaders, 34-year-old Rossi has split from crew chief Jerry Burgess, a decision he also addresses in the programme.

Rossi’s most recent world title was in 2009, the #46 breaking a leg early in 2010 then making an ill-fated switch to Ducati for 2011.

The sixth race of the 2014 season will be Rossi’s home Italian round, at Mugello.

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Bundesliga Preview: Bayern, Leverkusen seek home comforts

27 November 2013 22:05

Bet $5$10$20$50$100	Returns:
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Bayern Munich will expect to maintain their 100 per cent home record in the Bundesliga when they face Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side strengthened their grip on top spot in the German top flight with an impressive 3-0 win at Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

The Bavarian giants are now four points clear of Bayer Leverkusen at the summit, and they will be looking to make it six consecutive Bundesliga wins when the bottom-of-the-table Braunschweig visit the Allianz Arena.

Bayern’s record-breaking unbeaten run now stands at 38 Bundesliga games, while Torsten Lieberknecht’s Braunschweig have won just twice in their first season back in the top flight for 28 years.

Leverkusen also host a struggling side on Saturday in the form of Nurnberg, who are still yet to win a league game this season.

Gertjan Verbeek’s side, who sit second bottom, have drawn eight of their 13 league matches this season and will be the underdogs at the BayArena.

Leverkusen have made their best-ever start to a league season with 10 wins from 13 attempts, with striker Stefan Kiessling again enjoying a strong campaign.

Kiessling, who was last term’s Bundesliga top-scorer with 25, has netted eight times in the league so far this season.

Winger Sidney Sam is likely to miss the match with a thigh injury for Leverkusen, though.

Meanwhile, Dortmund, who dropped seven points behind Bayern after Saturday’s defeat, will aim to bounce back at Mainz.

Dortmund had lost their last three in all competitions before a morale-boosting 3-1 win over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday and they will now be looking to build.

Borussia Monchengladbach have won their last four league matches and will fancy their chances of extending that run against relegation-threatened Freiburg at home on Sunday, while Hannover – who have slipped to 13th in the Bundesliga following a winless run of seven league matches – have a good chance to bounce back against fellow strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt, who are 15th.

Elsewhere, Wolfsburg will look to extend their five-match unbeaten streak when they host Hamburg on Friday.

Other fixtures see Hoffenheim face Werder Bremen, while Hertha Berlin and Schalke host Augsburg and Stuttgart respectively.

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Wales Rally GB: North Wales move a ‘massive success’

The decision to move Rally GB to North Wales has been hailed a ‘massive success’ by the organisers of the British round of the World Rally Championship.

The shift to a new base in Deeside this year allowed the re-introduction of many of the classic competitive special stages that haven’t featured on the itinerary since the halcyon days of the old RAC Rally.

These revisions resulted in a bumper entry – double that of 2012 – and there was also a massive upsurge in fan interest, with more than 20,000 enthusiasts visiting the service park alone.

“Relocating the event in north Wales has been a massive success,” confirmed Andrew Coe, chief executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports. “It was fantastic to see such huge crowds whether deep in the forests or at the Service Park.

“Indeed, the large number of people trying to access some of the stages – notably on Saturday – took everyone by surprise. We have apologised to those who missed out and can assure all fans that we are learning lessons and already planning ahead to cater for even larger numbers in 2014.”

Coe was also delighted with the gruelling nature of the competitive route, which not only produced a very worthy overall winner but also showcased some promising young local talent.

“It seemed utterly appropriate that rallying’s new superstar, Sebastien Ogier, should finish his outstanding title-winning season with his first Wales Rally GB victory,” Coe continued. “While we are obviously thrilled to have witnessed Ogier’s masterful performance in what were typically challenging conditions, it was another of our aims to use the event to encourage and inspire a new generation of top British rally drivers. So it was great to see rising Welsh rally stars such as Elfyn Evans, Tom Cave and Osian Pryce taking full advantage of the opportunity to prove their potential on the World stage. Hopefully they will be in a position to challenge Ogier in the years to come.”

The winner, and newly crowned 2013 WRC champion, was another full of praise for the new-look event: “It was a really good atmosphere, which is great for the event and championship,” Ogier added.

“It’s the first time I have seen so many people on all of the stages, and the stages themselves are quite beautiful to drive, too.”

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Wales Rally GB: North Wales move a ‘massive success’

The decision to move Rally GB to North Wales has been hailed a ‘massive success’ by the organisers of the British round of the World Rally Championship.

The shift to a new base in Deeside this year allowed the re-introduction of many of the classic competitive special stages that haven’t featured on the itinerary since the halcyon days of the old RAC Rally.

These revisions resulted in a bumper entry – double that of 2012 – and there was also a massive upsurge in fan interest, with more than 20,000 enthusiasts visiting the service park alone.

“Relocating the event in north Wales has been a massive success,” confirmed Andrew Coe, chief executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports. “It was fantastic to see such huge crowds whether deep in the forests or at the Service Park.

“Indeed, the large number of people trying to access some of the stages – notably on Saturday – took everyone by surprise. We have apologised to those who missed out and can assure all fans that we are learning lessons and already planning ahead to cater for even larger numbers in 2014.”

Coe was also delighted with the gruelling nature of the competitive route, which not only produced a very worthy overall winner but also showcased some promising young local talent.

“It seemed utterly appropriate that rallying’s new superstar, Sebastien Ogier, should finish his outstanding title-winning season with his first Wales Rally GB victory,” Coe continued. “While we are obviously thrilled to have witnessed Ogier’s masterful performance in what were typically challenging conditions, it was another of our aims to use the event to encourage and inspire a new generation of top British rally drivers. So it was great to see rising Welsh rally stars such as Elfyn Evans, Tom Cave and Osian Pryce taking full advantage of the opportunity to prove their potential on the World stage. Hopefully they will be in a position to challenge Ogier in the years to come.”

The winner, and newly crowned 2013 WRC champion, was another full of praise for the new-look event: “It was a really good atmosphere, which is great for the event and championship,” Ogier added.

“It’s the first time I have seen so many people on all of the stages, and the stages themselves are quite beautiful to drive, too.”

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